Banana Bites

Warning: I'm going to ask you a series of questions. If you answer NO to any of the following questions, this activity is probably not for you. Consider yourself warned.

1. Do you have a bunch of bananas that are quickly approaching the banana bread stage?

2. Do you have a cupboard full of little bags of chopped nuts, coconut, toffee chips, and cookies?

3. Are you okay with your toddler eating fistfuls of the toppings listed above?

4. Are you okay with your kitchen floor and table becoming a disaster zone?

Still here? Awesome. I knew you would be. Let's get started.

There have been plenty of days this summer when I feel like I've spent all day trying to organize our house. Which means that Z-cakes has spent way too much time watching TV. It doesn't help that the PBS station here has a killer lineup in the morning (with the exception of Sid). It also doesn't help that it has been hot enough outside that Z-cakes prefers the company of the ceiling fan over the scorching temperature of her mini trampoline.

When Rachel sent me this link for Banana Bites I knew immediately that Z-cakes would loooove helping me make them. I figured it would pull her away from the TV for a solid 15 minutes at least.

Our toppings included peanuts, toffee chips, toasted coconut, and chopped Oreos. Now that I think about it, I think we used the exact same toppings suggested in the link. I used the microwave to melt 1 Cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1 Cup of milk chocolate chips and added 2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil.

Z-cakes climbed up onto her chair and dug right in. To the toffee chips, that is. Then the cookies. Then the peanuts. After that she decided to maybe try a banana. This is all while I was still trying to get the chocolate melted and take a few pictures. Because as I'm sure you know, the best way to keep an activity from turning into a huge crazy mess is to just take pictures instead of regulating.

I gave myself the job of coating the bananas with chocolate. Then I placed the covered banana in a bowl of toppings and let Z-cakes sprinkle the toppings all over the banana. At first I gave her a spoon to use, but quickly realized that it would just work as a tool to the get the toppings to her mouth more quickly. I don't know why I didn't realize this sooner. Being her mother and all, I would have done the exact same thing. It was at this time that I started to wonder if Z-cakes was a little too young for this activity. Hmmm....oh well.

By the time we were done, we had made a crazy mess. Emphasis on the crazy. There was chocolate dripped across the table, all over our hands, and on our clothes. The floor was covered with tiny bits of candy. Our bellies were full of bananas and chocolate.

What was left of our bananas were popped into the freezer so they could get good and frozen for dessert that night. Then Z-cakes took a nap while I tried find enough wash cloths to get the kitchen table clean.

After dinner that night, one of us donned a red tutu and we enjoyed our banana bites on the front steps. I would have invited you all over to share, except I know for a fact either one or both of us licked our fingers before or after every single banana was made. I'm not exaggerating.

We have a ton of chocolate left over waiting in the fridge for our next Banana Bite adventure. Maybe next time we'll be a little more hygienic so we can share.

But probably not.